Hikari
by beni626
Summary: "Explore the Gothic Architecture in France! From Abbot Suger's renovation of the Saint Abbey of Denise to the King's Sainte-Chapelle!" The annoying white-on-grey text on her brochure burned those words into her brown eyes. In her head she envisioned an enthusiastic tour guide voice shoving innumerable locations down her throat, how annoying. Levi/Mikasa


**Hello! Beni here! I wrote this story two years ago but I finally made a fanfiction account and decided to post it here! Enjoy!**

"Explore the Gothic Architecture in France! From Abbot Suger's renovation of the Saint Abbey of Denise to the King's Sainte-Chapelle!" The annoying white-on-grey text on her brochure burned those words into her brown eyes. In her head she envisioned an enthusiastic tour guide voice shoving innumerable locations down her throat, how annoying.

Depressed wasn't a word Mikasa would address herself as, she didn't have clinical depression and she wasn't one to give herself a diagnosis, but she sure wasn't in the mood for croissants and good French company.

Ever since her brother enrolled in the military, she has been in a dark place. A place even darker than a dank corner on the ceiling of an abandoned basement. He could have been by her side this very moment if he agreed to study abroad, but no, he is going through brutal training to get into the Marines. She had even tried to convince him to let her join with him just for the sake of being by his side… but his last words to her left a harsh chill down her spine and a sharp pang strike her heart.

All she could do now is hope he takes care of himself.

Her time in the city of lights consisted of moping and loathing; she needed an escape, a distraction. She considered the locations recommended to her on the brochure. She knew nothing of Gothic cathedrals, hell, she only saw The Humpback of Notre Dame once and that was when she was seven. Upon reading the addresses, she discovered the nearest cathedral was the Sainte-Chapelle. With little pondering and a look at the image to the side of the address, she decided her destination.

The brochure was soon crumpled at the bottom of her book bag under a package of French potato chips.

"Seems like the weather forecast was incorrect.." Goosebumps spread over her pale arms from the cold, "Looks like it's going to rain.."

The maroon scarf around her neck was raised over her lips as she realized her misfortune. She didn't even bring a coat. A long sigh of relief filled the air when she recognized the structure from the picture she saw, a tower poking through a few select of buildings before her.

As soon as she followed the designated path and inched closer to the building, she was truly at awe. The height of the massive stone structure was overwhelming; the centuries old royal chapel towered over her and made her feel irrelevant.

She took a few steps back to get a better look at the beauty of the architecture. She examined the flower-like rose window, and she took note of the pinnacles that topped every buttress. She then glanced at the somber looking clouds above, floating, drifting. As the realization that it would start pouring soon hit her, she decided she didn't want to witness the sorrow of nature.

When she walked through the gate she was honestly a bit surprised that no one was in sight. _Hey, they probably had dependable weather forecasts._ With a few steps forward, she realized the door was a tad bit ajar. With that knowledge, her slender fingers slipped into the shadowy abyss.

With just a bit more effort, her days of suffering would be over.

The room was not how she envisioned it. It was relatively bright. Reds, blues, greens and golds covered every inch of the room, it gave more of a royal essence than the Gothic style she was accustomed to in media.

A disappointed sigh escaped her lips. Oh well.. it was certainly not as cold as it was outside... and with how bright it was in the room, it made it all the warmer. Mikasa closed her lids and listened to the rain hitting the stone. This wasn't due to drowsiness, or fatigue. At this point, she was tired of being lonely. Tired of things that were said... or left unspoken. All of her attention was focused on the rain pattering.. pattering. _Oh Eren_ …

"You know, you're not supposed to be here."

Upon hearing their voice, Mikasa's posture straightened like a board, "Where are you? Who's here?" Her voice questioned them with a hint of paranoia, but she wasn't anywhere near frantic or afraid.

"So many questions.. turn around, it is pretty bright in here you know.."

Despite being emotionally drained, Mikasa found the energy to take a look at this man. The sight that beheld her was a shorter person in a floor-length black frock that looked too large to be his.

"Were you in here the whole time?" She lowered her scarf below her chin to speak clearly, the material now hugging her neck.

"Yes." He broke his previous counter pose and strode toward her slowly. It _almost_ looked like he was hesitant to.

"Are we the only ones here?"

"When I said you weren't supposed to be in here, I meant no one except for me." His voice was monotone, his expression bored. Little did she know, under the nonchalance he had a tang of interest spark his curiosity.

"Well, sorry, I'll leave. " He strangely felt obligated to find out what was wrong with her.

"You know what, come with me."

"Where?" Could she even trust this guy? She didn't sense anything too suspicious.. but it was always good to keep her guard up.

"Follow me, there's a staircase to the upper chapel." He glanced back at her, taking notice of her hesitance. "Don't worry, I'm not some pervert... or serial killer, besides, even if I was, you look like you'd put up a hell of a fight."

That moment, Mikasa concluded she'd trust this stranger. Why? She didn't know. It most definitely wasn't his choice of attire.. or his unusual haircut.. or the noticeable dark-circles under his eyes…

"Hey, Mikasa, are you going to follow me or what?"

"Ha-ha, you saw my name tag. Quit feigning to be some kind of psychic. Yes... I'll follow you."

"What name tag?"

At his words, she immediately diverted her eyes to her chest to see if the name tag was still sticking to her silk blouse.

"You're funny." She was not one bit amused.

"Levi."

"Hm?"

"Levi is the name," He started up the stone stairs, "It feels only natural to at least know the name of a person you're blindly following, right?"

"Not really... when given a name, I feel people are trying to make me trust them. Whether it be for a shady reason or with good intention, I don't know... but I guess in general people feel comfortable with a name... hey, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Don't know, I guess you're different."

His words were ambiguous.. and she was in no mood to decipher them.

When she reached the last step she was truly awestruck.

The ceiling seemed so far above her. Adorning the walls were window upon window composed of stained glass. Mesmerized wasn't a word that could compare to her admiration.

"Magnificent isn't it?" Levi unbuttoned and shrugged off his frock, letting it lay on a vacant bench.

"It's a wonder how this building remains standing with all this glass... why are you even in here anyway? And why'd you ask me to come up here with you?"

"I can ask you the same, why you're here that is, but if you must know I am an art history student. I have this building to myself today. Part of my studies,." His hands were preoccupied, adjusting the cravat around his neck, "And no particular reason, just company." He lied.

"So... I am of no inconvenience being here? You _want_ me to be here?" The last thing she needed was to be a nuisance to yet another person, even this stranger.

"No, you're not, and yes, I did mention that seconds ago. What compelled you to come in here anyway?" His steel blue eyes moved into her direction. His stare was penetrating, questioning, curious.

"It started to rain... and someone happened to leave the door wide open."

"Ah, that was a mistake on my part, I didn't mean to... but I don't particularly mind that I did."

 _He doesn't mind?_

 _People have always minded.._

 _Oh, Eren…_

"It is nice being in here without people crowding up the place and causing ruckus for a change... you're good company." He stuffed his hands into his jean pockets.

"Oh.. so you've been here before?"

"Yes I have.. " Levi probed at his pockets for a bit until he decidedly set his hands at his sides and looked up to gaze at the stained glass.

No response was given. No response was needed either.

"Do you know why stained-glass was so ubiquitous in Gothic cathedrals?" He turned his neck a few degrees to glance at Mikasa.

"No."

"Their purpose was important. Many people, predominantly peasants, during Medieval times couldn't read, so it was important to understand Bible stories without actually reading the Bible. Images are pretty universal. The case with this place is different, though, it was actually the personal chapel of a king."

"That makes sense… and wow, for one person?" She secretly questioned the relevance of his words. Why did they matter? Why is she still here?

Just as her eyes were fixated to the stone ground, the darkness was suddenly replaced with an array of light. The leather of her boots shined and the silver buckle of her shoe reflected a window above. It was surreal.

"Yup, for one person… but you know, the light that comes through these windows represents the light of God," Levi took his hands out of his pocket and held it to bathe in the colors, "The light adorning my skin right now is called _Lux Nova_ , or God's Light.. according to religious folk back then at least. But I feel this light can represent whatever the viewer wants it to… don't you think?"

Mikasa moved her brown irises to gaze at the stained glass. The pupils of her eye grew smaller with every second of awe that had passed. Hope..

"Lately I've been feeling depressed," She admitted aloud, still staring at an image depicted on one particular window, "I doubt the love of someone I know cares about me. They- he left me.

"Eren was tired of me babying him... of me interfering with his life... 'Mikasa, I don't need you coming with me, I am a grown man, I don't need someone escorting me like a child being taken to their first day of school, just, just mind your own business.' He said. Those were his last words to me, then he just left to the military, no goodbye was given.

"It- it just hurts so much," She swallowed a lump as a tear slid down her cheek, "To think I'm not needed by someone... I know he cares but- but I can't help but think.. 'how dare he leave like _that_?" Her voice went from quiet and quivering to confident and angry with her newfound resentment. Was it resentment toward Eren or herself?

Mikasa let out a gasp, "I'm sorry for telling you this… " She had opened herself up to a near-stranger. She released every ounce of static that scratched continuously at her brain and heart with its unbearable noise… she released it all onto Levi. She let it all echo into the chapel with its seemingly fragile glass windows… and they tolerated it, only adorning more light into the vast room.

 _Would Levi take it like they did?_

He didn't give her a reassuring smile, he waited a few seconds. Those seconds of contemplation on what words to say felt like an eternity… until his eyes locked onto her, signaling that he was about to speak. "You know, I am sure that although there were some truth in his words, he didn't wish to hurt you and he could've gone about it a better way... but people grow frustrated and do or say things they can't take back. For all we know, he could be mulling over about it as we speak. I am sure he regrets those words he said, I'm sure he loves and cares for you as much as you do him. Believe in that."

Levi took it. As the windows did, he had giver her the luster she needed, the words. What came out of his mouth was worth just as much, if not more, than the brightness that covered every inch of the once dark chapel.

Albeit the world could be unfair and confusing, _this_ moment, _these_ passing seconds she stood next to Levi proved it could be forgiving and beautiful as well.

"I know.." She stared into Levi's eyes, unashamed of the tears that fell down her cheeks, "I know now at least.. this is odd... but, just knowing that people believe this is special… it really is something."

Mikasa looked at the stained-glass, turning a whole 360 slowly to take it all in and appreciate its beauty.

"I have come to an important realization. Moping and beating myself up doesn't do anything. I always knew it didn't.. but I didn't truly acknowledge how much it doesn't do _shit_ until now." She laughed.

"Ah, I see," The corner of Levi's lip perked up at her realization, "We always know things.. but as humans, we tend to ignore them.. to think of the worst. Me, even I do that. Despite age, there is still time to grow. No shame in that."

"You're right." A smile etched across her face. Despite the wetness still visible from her earlier emotional release and her short black hair sticking to her cheeks, he could tell all the difference. The relief. The newfound hope.

He returned the smile.

"What do you plan to do about your situation?" After everything, after her realization, was Mikasa going to take the matters into her hands?

"Well I plan to write him... a letter," She started, "And by the way, he isn't related to me... biologically… nonetheless I love him very much, with all my heart." Her hand reached up to caress her scarf, splaying her fingers across the soft material.

Levi took note of the warmest smile adorning her face, he didn't even know this woman was capable of a smile that radiated such warmth. It had competed, even, with the light coming in through the stained-glass windows above. Eren was evidently important to her.

"Mikasa, if you don't write that letter, I _will_ hunt you down."

"Hunt me down? Thought you said you weren't a psycho? I accept the challenge, but I assure you I will write to him." Mikasa stood up.

"You know, the only thing we're allowed to do is to believe we won't regret the choice we made… I believe you but you better write that letter or you will regret it. And I said I wasn't a pervert or serial killer, never said I wouldn't stalk you."

"Keep this up and I'll pretend I didn't meet you in the first place."

"I was only being playful Mikasa." He laughed.

"Your laugh is… peculiar." She wouldn't admit it was quite infectious, this serious, short man with the laugh that competes with a maniac's.

"Well, I don't laugh much." He admitted.

"When was the last time you laughed...?"

"I don't remember, it's been a while. Almost a year, probably."

 _A year?_

"Oh, well, wait til you hang out with my friends. They're… quite funny."

"Oh? You want me to meet your friends?" His nonchalance returned… and even worse pink dusted her pale face.

"N-no, I was only…"

"Again, I am only being playful, Mikasa."

Before she could send a glare his way, she had remembered something.

"Want to know something weird," Mikasa fetched her bag and dug through it only to pull out a brown wallet, slipping out her I.D. from a compartment, "Anything… odd?"

He took the card from her and examined it.

"Well they had no mercy to allow the retake you wanted."

"You're crossing the line shorty."

"Fine, well, I see that your middle name is Hikari… from my little knowledge of Japanese words, that means light. Correct?"

"Yes. Like the light in here… and, I wanted to give you a thank you…. for listening and all. It helped. I needed this."

"Ah, it was no trouble," Levi looked up, giving a last glance to the main attraction of the chapel, "Do you want to go now?"

"Sure." Mikasa gave a last look at the place that tolerated her emotions then followed the man that did the same.

Once they were back in the same room with the reds, blues, greens, and golds, they stood awkwardly beside each other.

"So.. if you ever need anything," He slipped his hand out of his pocket and out came a white card, "I have a business card."

"For what kind of business?" She queried.

"Take it, read it, then you'll know. It isn't rocket science."

"I was only being playful Levi."

She noted the smallest of smiles adorning his stoic face then the card from his grasp, stuffing it into her bag. Right on top of the French potato chips.

Once Mikasa gave one last glance before heading out the door, Levi was glad he left that damn door open.

 **If you liked this or anything about it, please leave a review! If you have any criticism, please leave a review! I apologize if you craved romance, but I surely will post more romantic Rivamika in the future! Thank you!**


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